"There's Only One Championship That We Have in Mind"

On a perfect March day, Bronco Mendenhall led his 2011 BYU Football team through its first organized practice of the spring practice season--a one hour and 45 minute session that featured new coaches in new roles, and a defined starter at quarterback.

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You can hear post-practice interviews with Mendenhall, QB Jake Heaps, his position coach/offensive coordinator Brandon Doman and WR McKay Jacobson by clicking on the "play" button for each in the "Cougar Cuts" box.

The accompanying photos are all reproduced with descriptions in the gallery at the end of the blog posting. All photos are courtesy BYU Photo and photographer Jaren Wilkey.

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Mendenhall said "what we intend to do is... Jake is the starter going into spring. Riley (Nelson) or others will have to take the job from him through how they perform in spring-and-slash-fall camp."

Asked to compare how he feels now to how he felt as a freshman last spring, Heaps said "I really don't think you can compare it."

"First coming in, I didn't know what to expect. I was in the middle of a quarterback battle, splitting reps. Now, this is my football team, and it's just a completely different story. It's exciting, it's fun for me to go out there and get more reps and be around the guys and just get this next year started."

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Heaps set the agenda for BYU's era of independence when he said "We're the only team in America with a contract with ESPN; that says it all right there."

"It's really exciting and it raises the stakes," said Heaps. "We're not playing for a conference championship anymore. There's only one championship that we have in mind, and that's a national championship. We have to practice like (national champions)."

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On the offense under new coordinator Brandon Doman, Heaps said "It's a blast to have him calling the plays. I feel as confident as can be... not a whole lot has changed, but just enough for us to be deadly and effective."

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Doman, on his first day as OC, said "man, I was having fun."

New coaches Joe DuPaix (running backs) and Ben Cahoon (WRs) were seeing their first action in BYU blue. Doman said "We have good coaches, they're enthusiastic, they work hard; I believe they are masters of their craft."

About his new coaches, Mendenhall called said "Joe DuPaix has so much enthusiasm, and so many instate connections already in recruiting, and work the running backs really, really hard, but brings just a contagious enthusiasm for the game. I haven't seen him walk yet, they guy is full speed all the time. Just trying to get him to sit down is quite a chore."

"Ben is quite a bit different," said Mendenhall. "Very cerebral, a strong academic approach to the game, with really an unbelievable emphasis on the mastery of the game, from the stance to the first step, to the break, he truly is a master teacher of the receiver position. I've already seen an influence just in the drill work and how the kids are performing."

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Doman talked about some of the offensive modifications he plans to work into BYU's game plan this season.

"We went (with the QB) under the center more today than I think anybody has seen us do it, and there were no pads, so when the pads go on, that will happen more often for us."

"Jake is a pro-style quarterback, we have big offensive linemen, they're physical, and it allows you to do some play-action, boots, and naked bootlegs. Inside of the pass game we already have, I think it is going to help us. When (Jake) drops back, it means he's going to throw it, and I like that."

"I believe we're going to be better if we mix that up--if we have shotgun, and under-the-center more often. It gives us more variety and less predictability."

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Many players were missing on day one, some with injuries and/or surgical recoveries, and there were a handful of non-injury absences.

The injured/recovering were:

LB Jordan Pendleton, TE Richard Wilson, CB Corby Eason, NT Romney Fuga, OL Famika Anae, OL Terence Brown, OL Matt Reynolds, OL Walter Kahaiali'i, OL Braden Hansen, OL Michael Yeck, OL Ryan Freeman, DL Jordan Richardson, DS Reed Hornung, and LB Zac Stout.

Non-injury absences:

RB Collin Keoshian, DL Thomas Bryson, DB Kori Gaines, DL Jadon Wagner, RB Drew Phillips (academic), DB Jray Galeai (academic).

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I am leaving for Denver tomorrow and won't be back with the football team until next Monday's practice, but here were some early depth chart observations on day one.

With so many players missing, and with it being just the first day of practice, this list will not have the same detail (i.e. receivers by X, Z, H) or reliability of my August reports--be forewarned, there may be a whiff or two, and some spots are interchangeable or have multiple alignments (at receiver, especially):

LT: Braden Brown, Ryker Mathews

LG: Manaaki Vaiutai, Austin Nielsen

C: Blair Tushaus, Houston Reynolds

RG: Marco Thorson, Manu Mulitalo

RT: Brock Stringham, Quinn Lawlor, Matt Jensen

TE: Austin Holt, Devin Mahina

WR: McKay Jacobson, Spencer Hafoka

WR: Cody Hoffman, Ross Apo

WR: Marcus Mathews, Rhen Brown, Matt Marshall

RB: J.J. DiLuigi, Josh Quezada

RB: Bryan Kariya, David Foote

QB: Jake Heaps, Riley Nelson/James Lark

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DE: Matt Putnam, Graham Rowley, Garrett Eskelsen

NT: Travis Tuiloma, Simote Vea, Hebron Fangupo

DE: Eathyn Manumaleuna, Mike Muehlmann

OLB: Jameson Frazier, Connell Hess, Tanner Cox

ILB: Austen Jorgensen, Spencer Hadley, Uona Kaveinga

ILB: Brandon Ogletree, Kaveinga, Peter Welsh

OLB: Kyle Van Noy, Alani Fua, Kevan Bills/Sae Tautu

CB: Robbie Buckner, Jordan Johnson

S: Daniel Sorensen, Mike Hague, Ryan Comer

S: Travis Uale, Daniel Sorensen/Carter Mees, Landon Fowler

CB: Preston Hadley, DeQuan Everett

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Some "Team" stats from day one:

Heaps: 8/10, 64 yds

Lark: 3/4, 53 yds

Nelson: 2/3, 10 yds

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J.D. Falslev: 2 rec, 40 yds

Rhen Brown: 2 rec, 18 yds

J.J. DiLuigi: 2n rec, 15 yds; 3 rush, 10 yds

David Foote: 2 rush, 5 yds; 2 rec, 10 yds

Bryan Kariya: 2 rec, 9 yds

Josh Quezada: 2 rec, 16 yds

Ross Apo: 1 rec, 15 yds

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Kyle Van Noy: sack

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In 7-on-7 drills, both Jordan Johnson and Robbie Buckner had "pick six" TDs

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Faces in the crowd:

Former Boise State/Colorado coach Dan Hawkins was out at practice as a guest of friend and BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall; Mendenhall said he is looking forward to getting Hawkins' feedback.

Bronco said BYU was the "kickoff" on Hawkins' tour of spring camps, which he is undertaking while he decides in which coaching direction he would like to go next.

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As a non-football bonus, also in "Cougar Cuts" is a teleconference with Wofford head coach Mike Young, from earlier today.

I'll be back to hoops mode with "Cougar Tracks" from Denver, tomorrow.

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